Weekly Newsletter

TLDR:

Leadership isn't about titles, positions, or paychecks. It's about influence, grounded in both selflessness and foresight. From a Hawaiian perspective, true leadership begins in the gut, the na'au, where generosity, benevolence, and open-heartedness meet logic and foresight. To Think Hawaiian about leadership is to have he 'ōpū hālau, a heart as big as a house, guided by both gut and mind.

THINK HAWAIIAN:

ON LEADERSHIP

The Foundation of Leadership

"Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less." John Maxwell's statement cuts straight to the heart of what real leadership means.

We encounter all different kinds of leadership in our daily lives. As adults, we most often see leadership in work environments with their hierarchical structures. We may have multiple supervisory levels above us, some with direct authority, others with dotted-line relationships or varying degrees of interaction. In larger organizations, many of us sit somewhere in the middle of the org chart, with both levels above and below us.

Yet it's outside of work that we experience the most diverse examples of leadership... or what we might mistake for leadership.

And it's outside of work where we can truly understand what it takes to be a great leader, then integrate that understanding into our professional lives.

How We Learn Leadership

As children, we encounter leadership without understanding the difference between work, play, and life. A boss, teacher, coach, parent, manager, or chief... a peer who naturally gains authority and influence... a priest, therapist, or neighbor can all seem the same to a child.

Because of this, our understanding of leadership grows from how others' behaviors and actions make us feel. This is why Maxwell's insight rings so true: influence shapes our earliest definition of leadership.

This is also why it's easy to mistake other qualities for leadership, and why we can be led astray by poor leadership, failing to understand the difference between leadership in general and truly great leadership.

What Doesn't Make a Leader

Having a title doesn't make you a leader. Being placed in a leadership position doesn't make you a leader. Making a certain amount of money, managing a group of people, or being told you're a leader doesn't make you a leader.

So what does make a good leader? How do we uncover a Hawaiian view of leadership?

A BRIEF PLUG

Bring Hawaiian philosophy into your workplace.

Book Kainoa for a keynote, seminar, or workshop to inspire your team with timeless values that drive modern success

The Hawaiian Perspective: Alaka'i

In a previous newsletter, we explored leadership through the lens of the Hawaiian word for leader: alaka'i. The concept that our word for leader comes from leading the way, being in front, and standing in the way. Like the point person through a door or the lead cyclist in a peloton, the leader faces threats first, whether bullets or wind, providing protection for those who follow.

Today, let's examine leadership from another angle, one beautifully portrayed in "Chief of War" by both Ka'iana and Kamehameha.

Leadership in Action: Lessons from Chief of War

In the television series, we see these leadership principles come alive:

Ka'iana's Sacrifice: When faced with mortal threats, he helps his family escape to safety while drawing danger toward himself, nearly dying in the process.

Kamehameha's Foresight: Anticipating food shortages from prolonged war, he quietly increases emergency food storage so both his army and common people won't go hungry.

Both Leaders' Wisdom: They consistently express their desire for peace over war, seeking non-violent solutions to avoid bloodshed whenever possible.

These qualities of selflessness, generosity, and benevolence are captured in the Hawaiian proverb: E 'Ōpū Aliʻi.

E 'Ōpū Aliʻi: Have the Heart of a Chief

E 'Ōpū Aliʻi means "Have the heart of a chief." It speaks to the kindness, generosity, and even temper that define true leadership.

But here's where it gets interesting. Ali'i is our word for chief, so you might assume 'ōpū means heart... but it doesn't.

'Ōpū is our word for stomach, related to our word for gut: na'au.

We also find the saying "Na'au ali'i" in Hawaiian dictionaries, meaning kind, thoughtful, forgiving, loving, possessed of aloha, beneficent, benevolent, with a loving heart.

When we look up na'au by itself, we discover its definition: "intestines, bowels, guts; mind, heart, affections."

How can the same word describe both intestines and mind?

From Stomach to Mind: The Na'au Connection

For most of Western history, we've believed that the brain between our ears does all the thinking, makes decisions, and maintains control.

Only recently has Western science caught up to what ancient Hawaiians understood: the gut is a brain unto itself and often reacts first. The gut-brain sends signals up to the head-brain, stimulating it into action.

To Think Hawaiian means understanding that leadership starts in the gut, not the head.

This reminds us that being a good leader requires listening to your gut, trusting your gut, and encouraging two-way communication between gut and brain to see all aspects of a situation from both emotional and logical perspectives.

Being a good leader doesn't mean being purely logical.

But it also reminds us that our gut and emotions are tied to feelings of generosity, benevolence, and open-heartedness.

Here's the crucial part: that feeling extends not just to those you like, but to those you don't like and who don't agree with you.

"You can tell a bully from a leader by how they treat people who disagree with them." - Miles K. Davis

Leadership in Balance

There's a reason many large companies run by attorneys and accountants turned executives have strong financials but poor morale.

There's also the flipside: companies and teams run purely on emotion can feel good but go nowhere or experience burnout at faster rates.

The good leader from a Hawaiian perspective has "he 'ōpū hālau," a heart as big as a house, but also the logic and foresight to avoid purely emotion-based decisions.

Three Hawaiian Leadership Principles

1. Leadership is influence, not position
   Titles, age, or authority don't make someone a leader. How they make others feel does.
2. Lead with your na'au first, then your mind
   True leadership flows from the gut (generosity, emotion, instinct) then connects with logic for balanced decisions.
3. Extend kindness to everyone, especially opponents
   Great leaders show benevolence not just to allies, but to those who disagree. Selflessness marks true alaka'i.

Three Ways to Practice Hawaiian Leadership

Daily Influence Check
End each day by asking: "How did my words and actions make others feel?" This reflection reveals whether you're leading or just managing.

Trust Your Na'au Process
Before big decisions, pause and notice your gut reaction. Then engage your logic. Balance instinct with intellect.

Choose Generosity in Conflict
When facing disagreement, deliberately respond with kindness over defensiveness. How you treat opponents reveals true leadership.

FINAL PLUG

We refreshed the website, launched a blog, and have more in the works!

Check out the updated site and be sure to follow our social channels for new and exciting updates. ~Mahalo